1 Ndị Tesalonaịka 5
1 Ugbu a, ụmụnna, banyere oge na mgbe ihe ndị a ga-emezu. Echeghị m na ọ dị mkpa i degara unu akwụkwọ.
My fellow believers, [I want to tell you more] about the time or period [when the Lord Jesus will come back. Really], you do not need me to you about that,
2 Dị ka unu maara nke ọma na ụbọchị Onyenwe anyị ga-abịa dị ka onye ohi si abịa nʼabalị.
because you yourselves know accurately [what will happen! You know] that the Lord [Jesus will return] [MTY] [unexpectedly] (OR, [when some people are unprepared]). [People will not expect him, just like no one knows when] a thief [comes unexpectedly] at night [SIM].
3 Mgbe ha ga na-asị udo, na nchekwa dị, mgbe ahụ, na mberede, mbibi ga-abịakwasị ha dị ka ihe mgbu sị adakwasị nwanyị ime na-eme, nke ga-eme ka onye ọbụla ghara inwe ike ịgbapụ.
[At a future time] many people will say, “[All is] peaceful and [we are] safe!” Then suddenly the Lord Jesus will come to punish people severely! Just like a pregnant woman who [experiences] birth pains [cannot stop those pains], those people will definitely not [have any way to] escape [their punishment].
4 Ma unu onwe unu, ụmụnna, anọghị nʼọchịchịrị, nke ụbọchị ahụ ga-abịakwasị unu na mberede dịka onye ohi.
[Just like people] in the dark [are unaware of what is happening around them, most people will not be aware of what is about to happen to them] [MET, PRS]. Just like a thief [comes unexpectedly for people who are unaware, that time of punishment will come when people are not expecting it] [SIM]. But you, my fellow believers, are people who are very much aware [LIT] of what is going to happen. As a result, you will be expecting [LIT] those things [MTY] to happen [PRS]. All of us [believers] are people [IDM] [who do what is right, as people usually do in] the daytime [MET] [when their actions can be seen]. We are not [people who do evil things, as some people do when it is] dark [MET].
5 Unu niile bụ ụmụ nke ìhè na ụmụ nke ehihie, anyị abụkwaghị nke ọchịchịrị maọbụ nke abalị.
6 Nʼihi nke a, ka anyị ghara ịdị na-arahụ ụra dị ka ndị ọzọ, kama ka anyị mụrụ anya ka anya dokwaa anyị.
So we believers must be aware of what is happening. We must be watching carefully, [as people who are awake watch for a thief] [MET]. We must be self-controlled, as people who are (sober/not drunk) are able to control what they do [MET]. People who sleep [MET] [are unaware of what is happening, and unbelievers are like that].
7 Nʼihi na abalị bụ mgbe ndị na-arahụ ụra ji arahụ ụra. Ọ bụkwa nʼabalị ka ndị mmanya na-egbu na-aṅụbiga mmanya oke.
It is at night when people become drunk [and they do very wrong actions/things, and are unaware of what is happening because they] are asleep.
8 Ma ebe anyị niile bụ ndị nke ihe, ka anyị bụrụ ndị anya doro, ndị yi okwukwe na ịhụnanya dịka ihe ikpuchi obi, yikwasịkwa olileanya nke nzọpụta dị ka okpu igwe.
But we believers are people who [should do what is right] [MET], so we must be self-controlled, [as people] in the daytime [are usually not drunk and are able to control what they do] [MET]. [As Roman soldiers protect themselves by] putting on breastplates and helmets [MET], we [believers] must [protect ourselves by continuing to] trust and love [the Lord Jesus] and by continuing to confidently expect that he will save [us from God’s punishing us at the time when he will punish other people].
9 Nʼihi na Chineke akwadebeghị ikpe ọmụma na egwu nye anyị. Kama ka anyị nweta nzọpụta site nʼokwukwe anyị nwere nʼOnyenwe anyị Jisọs Kraịst.
When God chose us, he did not plan for us to [be people whom he will severely] punish [MTY]. On the contrary, [he decided] that he would save us because of [our trusting in what] our Lord Jesus Christ [has done for us].
10 Ọ nwụrụ nʼihi anyị ka ọ bụrụ, ma anyị dị ndụ ma anyị nwụrụ anwụ, anyị ga-esoro ya dịrị ndụ.
Jesus died [to atone/pay] for our [sins] in order that we might be able to live together with him, whether we are alive [MET] or whether we are dead [EUP] [when he returns to earth].
11 Ya mere, na-akasịrịtanụ onwe unu obi. Na-emekwanụ ihe ọbụla ga-ewuli ibe unu elu dị ka unu si eme.
Because [you know that this is true], continue to encourage/comfort each other, as indeed you now are doing.
12 Anyị na-arịọsị unu ike, ụmụnna, ka unu na-asọpụrụ ndị niile na-adọgbu onwe ha nʼọrụ nʼihi unu, ndị ahụ na-elekọta unu nʼime ọrụ Onyenwe anyị, na ndị ahụ na-adụ unu ọdụ.
My fellow believers, we [three] ask that you recognize/honor [as leaders] those people who work hard for you. [Specifically], respect those who lead you as fellow believers who (have a close relationship with/are united to) the Lord [Jesus]. They warn you [to stop doing what is wrong] (OR, they teach you [to do what is right]).
13 Ka unu na-akwanyere ha ugwu site nʼịhụnanya nʼihi ụdị ọrụ ha na-arụ. Ka unu na mmadụ ibe unu birikwa nʼudo.
That is, we [ask that you] consider those leaders to be very important and that you love them, because they work [hard to help you]. We also urge you to live peacefully with each other.
14 Ma ugbu a, anyị na-arịọ unu, ụmụnna, na-adụnụ ndị na-anọ nkịtị ọdụ, na-agbanụ ndị dara mba ume, nyerenụ ndị na-adịghị ike aka, nwekwanụ ndidi nʼebe ha niile nọ.
My fellow believers, we urge that you warn [believers] who will not work [in order to] ([obtain/earn the money to buy]) [things that they need to live. Tell them that they are behaving wrongly]. We urge you that you encourage [believers] who are fearful (OR, discouraged), and that you help all people who are weak [in any way]. We also urge you to be patient with everyone.
15 Ka onye ọbụla ghara inyeghachi mmadụ ibe ya ihe ọjọọ nʼọnọdụ ihe ọjọọ. Kama gbalịsienụ ike ime ezi ihe nʼebe ibe unu nọ na nʼebe mmadụ niile nọ.
Make sure that none [of you] does evil things to anyone [who has done] evil to you. On the contrary, you must always try to do good [things] for each other (OR, to fellow believers) and to everyone else.
16 Na-aṅụrịnụ ọṅụ oge niile.
Be joyful (at all times/always),
17 Na-ekpenụ ekpere oge niile na-esepụghị aka.
pray continually,
18 Na-enyenụ ekele mgbe niile banyere ihe niile, nʼihi na nke a bụ ọchịchọ Chineke banyere unu ndị bụ nke Kraịst Jisọs.
and thank [God] (in all [circumstances/] [of what happens]). God wants you [to behave] like that [because of what] Christ Jesus [has done for you] (OR, because you have a close relationship with Christ Jesus).
19 Unu emenyụla ọkụ Mmụọ Nsọ.
Do not [refuse the urging from God’s] Spirit [when he is working] [MTY] [among you. That would be like] throwing water on [a fire] [MET]!
20 Ọzọ unu eledala okwu ndị amụma anya.
[Specifically], do not despise messages that the Holy Spirit reveals to someone, [and reject them automatically].
21 Kama na-anwalenụ ihe niile ma na-ejidesikwanụ ihe niile dị mma aka ike.
On the contrary, evaluate all [such messages]. Accept the [messages that are truly from God, and obey them].
22 Wezuganụ onwe unu nʼihe ọjọọ niile.
Do not obey any kind of evil [message].
23 Ka Chineke ya onwe ya, bụ Chineke nke udo, doo unu nsọ nʼụzọ niile. Ka e debezuo mmụọ unu na mkpụrụobi unu na anụ ahụ unu nsọ, na-enweghị ntụpọ ọbụla ruo ụbọchị ọbịbịa Onyenwe anyị Jisọs Kraịst.
[We pray to] God that he will change you to become more and more like his people should be. He is the one who causes [his people] to have [inner] peace. [That is, we pray] that he will help you so that in all that you think, in all that you desire, and in all that you do, you will be without fault. We ask him that he will keep doing that [until] our Lord Jesus Christ comes back [to earth].
24 Onye ahụ kpọrọ unu ga-emezu ihe ndị a, nʼihi na ọ bụ onye kwesiri ntụkwasị obi.
[Because God] has invited you [to be his people, you can] certainly trust him to keep on helping you to do that.
25 Biko ụmụnna, na-ekperenụ anyị ekpere.
My fellow believers, pray for me and for Silas and for Timothy.
26 Werenụ isurita ọnụ dị nsọ na-ekele ụmụnna anyị dum.
[When you gather together as believers], greet each other affectionately, as fellow believers [should].
27 Iwu m na-enye unu site nʼaha Onyenwe anyị bụ ka unu gụpụta akwụkwọ a nʼihu ụmụnna niile.
Make certain that you read this letter to all the believers who may be absent when you read it at first, [knowing that] the Lord [Jesus wants you to do it].
28 Ka amara Onyenwe anyị Jisọs Kraịst dịnyere unu niile.
[I pray that] our Lord Jesus Christ [will continue to act] kindly toward you all.
